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Shopping by Skin Type-Dry Skin

Welcome back lovely readers! And hello to those who may be new around here. Today’s post is close to my heart, as dry skin is something I frequently deal with. To find out if you are a dry skin type, please click here.

While this isn’t horribly scientific, I feel like there are two types of dry skin, but they are treated in the same way.

There is naturally dry skin, genetically inherited. Then there is also dry skin brought on by the regular use of actives or climate. The latter should not be confused with dehydrated skin though…

Either way, dry skin is dry skin and the severity of it can range to mild to devastatingly severe.

The Game Plan

In short, the goal is to get your skin into a more comfortable, balanced, non-flake-shedding state. The best way to do this is to have several layers of humectants sealed underneath an emollient and/or occlusive layer. Don’t be afraid to slather on layer after layer (or sheet mask after sheet mask). The good news is that if you love an indulgent, intense routine, dry skin allows ample opportunity for that. If a 10 step routine isn’t really for you, it will take a lot of trial and error finding a small selection of products that can provide the same effect as many layers. With dry skin, one moisturizer probably won’t cut it.

Anything in the moisturizing world goes with the dry skin type. Facial oils, thick, luxurious creams, pretty much any “hydrating” or “moisturizing” product will help. Be sure to apply products in order of thinnest to thickest, patting in each layer until it is fully absorbed before moving onto the next one. Use a low pH cleanser as well to keep what little natural oil your skin produces on your face and avoid anything geared towards oilier skin types which may refer to controlling sebum, tightening pores, and other skin scenarios that don’t apply at all to dry skin types.

The use of actives is highly discouraged until the skin becomes healthier and well-managed. Even once dry skin is under controll, actives should be introduced with more caution and monitoring as they can exacerbate the symptoms of dryness.

If you are a dry skin type, you may find it beneficial to take a look through the Skintuition blog archives. There are many posts on things like Managing Your Moisturizing Routine that may encompass more information than covered in this post that may be helpful.

Another good thing to keep on hand is the Cure Aqua Gel (before you buy, you may want to read this though). It is my go-to product for smoothing my skin and ridding it of pesky flakes. It helps my skin care products absorb more evenly and quicker. It also helps keep my face looking alive (that dry dullness honestly). I personally use it no more than twice a week.

Sheet masks are going to be your saviors for getting this skin type under control. The severity of your skin’s dryness should correspond to the number of sheet masks used daily. There is no shame in using them twice a day, every day until your skin regains control…or even three or four times 😛

Look for masks that boast moisturizing over pore-clearing, whitening, etc. While all masks do moisturize, it is best to stick with as many moisturizing ingredients as possible (like hyaluronic acid). Try to look at the backs of your favorite moisturizers; look for the key ingredients listed in your products in the mask ingredient lists. For example, perhaps your skin really responds well to your honey sleeping mask, look for sheet masks with honey in them. This is one of the reasons it is so important to introduce products one at a time-how else would you know what is working and what isn’t?

Is this your skin type? Do you have any tips or tricks? Questions, comments, or concerns? Please leave them down below or feel free to contact me!